Game apparatus



Sept. 24, 1940.

S. A. GRAVES" JR GAME APPARA'rfls Filed May 26, 1939 -2 Shuts-Sheet 1 WWW SAMUEL A GeAvEs J9. M a

Sept. 24, 1940. s. A. GRAVES. JR

mm mmmus Filed m 26, 19:59

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 24, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT FWCE 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to game apparatus and particularly to a device embodying alternate movable and stationary disks from one to another of which the players progress during the game.

In accordance with the invention, the apparatus embodies a plurality of concentric disks gradually diminishing in diameter to leave exposed a narrow area at the periphery of each disk. Alternate disks are turnable about a center element which holds the disks assembled, and the remaining disks are stationary. The players progress from the outermost disk toward the center either by moving around on the stationary disks, or by moving with the turnable disks, the several disks each having spaced areas Where a player may transfer from one disk to the next. The amount that each player may move his piece at each play is determined by a number selecting means such as a die or dice.

The objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which-- Fig. l. is a plan view of a game apparatus embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the several elements in a position to be assembled.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the apparatus of Fig. 1. i

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a players piece.

The apparatus comprises a stationary base I having marked thereon a large diameter circle 2 divided into contiguous areas 3 adjacent to the periphery and preferably of regular dimension. Positioned above the base are alternate turnable disks 4 and stationary disks 5 gradually diminishing in diameter, as shown in Fig. 3, to leave exposed a narrow area at the periphery of each disk. The disks are preferably of relatively thin material, such as cardboard, to provide a completed structure which is relatively flat. The showings of Figs. 2 and 3 are greatly exaggerated in thickness to show the structure clearly.

The disks are held together and to the base I by a central post which may be in the form of a pair of substantially semi-circular elements 6 and 6 spaced apart from each other to define an outer substantially cylindrical surface on which the disks 4 are turnable. As best shown in Fig. 2, the base i, as well as the stationary disks, have spaced pairs of openings 1 corresponding in dimension to each of the elements making up the central post, so that the latter is not turnable with respect to the base I, and holds the disks 5 also against turning relative to the base. The turnable disks 4 have cylindrical openings 8 centrally thereof, through Which the central post extends, and the top of the post may be concealed by a covering disk 9 which also marks a terminus of the game.

The exposed peripheries of the several stationary disks 5 are marked off into areas Ill, preferably regular in dimension, and corresponding to the areas 3 on the starting or outside circle 2. These stationary disks also have spaced projecting tabs M extending over a part of the periphery of the underlying turnable disk.

The exposed peripheries of the movable disks 4 are provided with markings defining a limited number of spaced apart areas i2, and also with a plurality of pointers i3 suitably delineated on the disk, these several pointers alining with spaced areas ii] on the superimposed stationary disk. For turning the movable disks, these disks may be provided at intervals with upwardly projecting tongues M, each preferably located adjacent to one of the areas i2 on the same disk.

The apparatus shown is marked for use in a game which may be known as Hitch Hiking and to this end the tabs H are marked Walk and the spaced areas 62 on the movable disks are marked Ride. The central disk 9 may be marked with a designation which will be the destination of the hitch hiker or player. The areas 3 on the outermost circle may each be marked with a different locality, any one of which the player may select as the place from which he begins to hitch hike to the destination on the central disk 9.

In playing the game when the board is marked as above outlined, each player is given a single playing piece or token, marked to be distinct from each other players piece, and selects as a starting position any one of the spaces of the outside or walking circle 2. The players in regular turn throw dice and move their pieces circumferentially on the outside circle 2 the number of spaces or areas 3 indicated by the throw of the dice. When any playing piece arrives opposite a ride area IE on the adjacent movable disk, the playing piece is shifted to the movable disk. Subsequent throws of the dice allow that player whose piece is then on the movable disk to move that disk angularly a number of spaces indicated by the die or dice, when thrown. The number of spaces that the movable disk turns is determined by the pointers it with reference to areas ill on the overlying stationary disk 5.

When a playing piece occupying one of the ride areas I2 is moved into alinement with one of the walk tabs H on the overlying stationary disk 5, the players piece is shifted inwardly to this stationary disk and then begins a further advance of the piece similar to its advance on the outer walking circle 2. By subsequent throws of the dice the playing piece is gradually moved from each walking disk to the superimposed riding disk and ultimately reaches the central disk 9 which i the finish point of the game. The player whose piece which first arrives in alinement with the tab IE on the innermost stationary disk 5 is the winner of the game. This tab may be marked out to indicate that at this point the player may move onto the central disk 9 and win the game.

Additional markings might be added to the apparatus, as for example, on the movable or riding disk might be markings of vehicles more emphatically to indicate that this is the portion of the trip during which the player or hitch hiker is riding. It will be understood that the apparatus may be differently marked if the device is not used as a hitch hiking game.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the invention resides in an apparatus having a base on which are mounted a plurality of disks gradually diminishing in diameter so that the peripheries of each of the disks are exposed. The disks are mounted so that alternate disks are stationary and the remaining disks are rotatable and the disks are marked so that the playing pieces may be moved angularly on any one of the stationary disks or with any of the movable disks a predetermined number of spaces, dependent upon the throw of the dice or other number selecting means which may be used to determine the number of spaces that a player may move in his turn. The players piece may be of the form shown in Fig. 4, which represents the hand of a hitch hiker with his thumb extended, seeking a ride.

I claim:

1. In a game apparatus, a base and a plurality of superimposed disks concentrically mounted on said base, alternate disks being connected to the base to be stationary therewith and the remainder of said disks being turnable, and successive disks diminishing in diameter to expose a continuous area around the periphery of each disk, alternate disks having contiguous areas of regular dimension marked thereon around the periphery and the other disks having pointers marked thereon to cooperate with the areas on said alternate disks.

2. In a game apparatus, a base and a plurality of superimposed disks concentrically mounted on said base, alternate disks being mounted on said base to be turnable about their axes and the remaining disks being connected to said base to be stationary with respect to said base, and said disks diminishing successively in diameter to expose at least a part of the upper surface of each disk at the periphery thereof, the turnable disks having pointers thereon in spaced relation to other and the stationary disks having contiguous areas of regular dimension marked thereon around the periphery.

3. In a game apparatus, a base and a plurality of superimposed disks concentrically mounted on said base, alternate disks being mounted on the base to be turnable about their axes and the remaining disks being connected to said base to be stationary, and said disks diminishing successively in diameter to expose at least a part of the surface of each disk entirely around the periphery thereof, the turnable disks having projecting tabs by which the disks may be turned, alternate disks having tabs projecting outwardly beyond the periphery and the remaining disks having spaced markings to cooperate with said tabs.

4. In a game apparatus, a base and a plurality of superimposed disks concentrically mounted on said base, alternate disks being mounted on the base to be turnable about their axes and the remaining disks being connected to said base to 5 be stationary, and said disks diminishing successively in diameter to expose at least a part of the surface of each disk entirely around the periphery thereof, the stationary disks having outwardly extending tabs on the periphery 10 thereof and the movable disks having spaced markings thereon differing in spacing to the tabs on the stationary disks for cooperation with said outwardly extending tabs.

5. In a game apparatus, a base and a plurality of superimposed disks concentrically mounted on said base, alternate disks being mounted on the base to be turnable about their axes and the remaining disks being connected to said base to be stationary, and said disks diminishing successively in diameter to expose at least a part of the surface of each disk entirely around the periphery thereof, the stationary disks having tabs extending outwardly at the periphery thereof and the turnable disks having spaced markin'gs adjacent the periphery thereof differing in spacing to the outwardly extending tabs on the stationary disks, the turnable disks also having upwardly projecting tabs by which the disks may thereon and the remaining disks being connected to said post to be held stationary with respect to the base, successive disks diminishing in diameter to expose a continuous annular area of the upper surface of each disk at the periphery thereof, alternate disks having contiguous areas of regular dimension marked thereon around the exposed portion of the periphery, and the other disks having pointers marked on the exposed upper surface thereof to cooperate with the areas on said alternate disks, certain of the disks having spaced tabs thereon extending beyond the periphery, and the remaining disks having spaced markings differing in spacing to the tabs for cooperation therewith.

7. In a game apparatus, a base, a post posi-lio tioned centrally thereof and a plurality of superimposed disks mounted on the base, alternate disks being mounted on the post for rotation thereon and the remaining disks being connected to said post to be held stationary with respect to the base, successive disks diminishing in diameter to expose a continuous annular area of the upper surface of each disk at the periphery thereof, said remaining disks having.

contiguous areas of regular dimension markedoo thereon on the exposed upper surface and said alternate disks having spaced pointers marked thereon on the exposed upper surface to cooperate with said contiguous areas, said alternate disks also having spaced markings on the exposed upper surface thereof differing in spacing to the spacing of the pointers thereon, and said remaining disks having outwardly projecting tabs on the periphery thereof, the spacing of which differs from the spaced markings on said alternate disks.

SAMUEL A. GRAVES, JR. 

